Sunday, January 10, 2010

...that we might have Joy

Our purpose in this life is to learn, progress, and return to live with our Father in Heaven. During that process we are to have joy. How do we do that when we have hardships, less than our neighbors, and imperfections?

Be grateful.

Sincerely be grateful.

What if we're not grateful for what we have? Practice, and you'll soon notice how blessed and how much you really have.

Outlook#1: I have nothing. I live in a small basement apartment. I am not even done with school. Others were done school years before me, and have even completed a masters. My husband is not done school. We make no money. Blah blah blah...

Outlook #2: Wow, I have an incredibly inexpensive place to live, that we can afford. We are not in debt. We have a beautiful healthy family. We eat like kings. We are getting an education at a top university in subjects we both love. We have travelled north america. We have family who support and love us. We have never needed anything, we have more than we need in fact. My husband loves what he does and what he is becoming, and did not settle just because it was easier. We did it the Lord's way. I have a body that works great, and I get to run and compete. I have a husband who loves me, is faithful to me, and who is an incredible father. I have a nice computer. I have lots of clothes. I have friends who really care about me. I have gifts and talents that I can develop. I am happy, truly genuinely happy. I have the knowledge that I am an inheritance of the Lord, a daughter of God. I have a solid testimony that keeps growing. I am progressing. I am happy, truly happy. Etc...

The blessings always surpass...so much in fact "that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).

Seek for the blessings in your life...and find joy in those things because we are meant to have joy. God is all-knowing, perfect, and full of love, and he knows exactly what will bring us the most joy in this life. Get to know him, and find out why your specific blessings were given to you, and find joy in those things. Trust God, he knows joy better than anyone else.

We have the choice to see the negative--or to have joy in what we have.

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Joys of Life

I've decided to list things, people, events, ideas, quotes, foods, etc...that bring more joy into my life. Some of them are small menial things, some are greater and more significant, but each contributes to my level of joy. You can view all my Joys of Life under topics.